Survey: CA health insurance costs jumped significantly in past decade

The California HealthCare Foundation released a survey that showed health insurance premiums have skyrocketed in the past decade, and have increased well past the level of inflation, according to a release from Consumer Watchdog.

Since 2002, healthcare premiums in the Golden State jumped by 153 percent. This is more than five times higher than the inflation rate over that period, which was less than 30 percent, according to the survey. The state witnessed annual premiums for individual coverage that was more than the national average. The average annual premium in the state was $5,970, which was slightly more than the national average of $5,429.

"A 153 percent increase in health insurance premiums in just 10 years is unbearable and the fact that premiums have risen five times the rate of inflation is scandalous," said Carmen Balber of Consumer Watchdog.